payne



, Oct. 23, 1962 w. M. PAYNE, JR

APPARATUS FOR KNITTING FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING BLANK 4 Sheets-$heet 1Original Filed June 15, 1959 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM M. PAYNE, JR.

Oct. 23, 1962 w. M. PAYNE, JR

APPARATUS FOR KNITTING FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING BLANK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed June 15, 1959 2 w FR.

U QNN INVENTOR.

WILLIAM M. PAYNE, JR.

Oct. 23, 1962 W. M. PAYNE, JR

APPARATUS FOR KNITTING FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING BLANK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Original Filed June 15, 1959 INVENTOR:

" WILLIAM M. PAYNE, JR. W dl% ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 23, 1962 PAYNE, JR 3,059,457

APPARATUS FOR KNITTING FULLFASHIONED STOCKING BLANK Original Filed June15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 108B mvmon:

WILLIAM M. PAYNE, JR.

Maw 4 W ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent eases Claims. c1. 66-129) This invention relates toan improved full-fashioned stocking blank and to an improved method andapparatus for knitting the same.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.820,409, filed June 15, 1959.

In knitting presentday full-fashioned stocking blanks, yarns are fed tothe knitting needles of a conventional full-fashioned knitting machineby yarn carriers for a plurality of courses to form the various parts ofa stocking i.e., the welt, body, foot and reinforced areas of thelatter. At the completion of the knitting of each part of the stockingand at the commencement of the knitting of another part, yarns generallyare changed by removing carriers from or adding carriers to the knittingfield, an operation which usually requires the machine to be stopped andthe performance of manual operations by a knitter in shifting carrierrods into and out of operation. Furthermore, in following thisprocedure, the yarn ends both entering and leaving the knitting fieldmust be severed, an operation performed, normally by hand, before thestocking blank can be removed from the knitting machine. Additionally,those yarns leaving the knitting field must be wrapped under a yarn clipor holding device after being severed, in order to prevent unthreadingof the corresponding carrier. Such clips should be cleaned of yarntailings at least after a blank is completed and before another iscommenced to avoid the possibility of a loose tail intermingling withthe yarns of the latter blank and possibly causing a defect. Because ofthe large number and spacing between entering and leaving yarn ends, thesevering, wrapping of yarn ends, and clip cleaning operations, togetherwith the shifting operation, accounts for a major portion of the laborinvolved in operating a full-fashioned knitting machine. The severing ofa yarn end leaves a short length of yarn projecting from a selvedge ofthe blank. These short yarn lengths are called tails.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedmethod and apparatus for knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank thatminimizes, and in some instances eliminates, the necessity of removingor adding yarn carriers to and from the knitting field, once theoperation of knitting the blank has been initiated, until after theoperation of knitting the blank has been completed.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved apparatusand method for knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which minimizesthe locations thereon at which yarn ends must be severed, and in someinstances requires severing yarn ends only at the juncture of a doublewelt with the body, or with a shadow welt, and only at the end of thetoe of the completed blank.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved apparatusand method for knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which requiressevering yarn ends on only one side and at the end of the toe of thecompleted blank.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improvedfull-fashioned stocking blank on which the number of locations of yarntails is minimized, and which in some instances has yarn tails only atthe beginning and end of the blank, i.e., at the juncture of a doublewelt 3,959,457 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 with the body, or with a shadowwelt, and at the end of the toe.

The seaming of a full-fashioned stocking blank normally is performed bya sewing or seaming machine. Such machine includes a selvedge uncurlerinto which the selvedges are fed in a generally horizontalup-wardlyfacing position, and from which the selvedge is passed to thesewing mechanism of the machine. The amount of fabric, or number ofwales, included within the seam formed by the seaming machine isdependent upon the relative position, i.e., the inclination, of thefabric in the uncurler to the sewing mechanism. This position can becontrolled to some extent by machine adjustments, but primarily iscontrolled by the inclination with which the operator feeds theselvedges into the uncurler.

In conventional seaming machines the selvedges are fed into the machinein a generally horizontal position. The more upwardly inclined, however,i.e., the lower the unseamed portion of the blank is held by theoperator in feeding it into the uncurler, the less fabric is included inthe seam, and consequently, the smaller and finer the seam. Of course,the smaller the scam the finer the appearance of the finished stocking.It requires extremely careful manipulation on the part of an operator,however, to sew a fine seam in a full-fashioned stocking. Consequently,the formation of fine or small seams tends to decrease production of anoperator of a seaming machine. It also will be seen that even though afine seam betters the appearance of a stocking, the number of walesintroduced into the seam is reduced. Such reduction tends to decreasethe strength of such a seam in a stocking seamed from a conventionalblank.

Hence, it is .another object of this invention to provide an improvedmethod and apparatus for knitting a fullfashioned stocking blank whichprovides reinforced selvedges that not only require a minimum of skillon the part of an operator of a seaming machine to scam blanks havingsuch selvedges, but also serve to reinforce the resulting seam, eventhough a minimum number of wales are included therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a full-fashioned stocking blank knitted inaccordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the mannerin which the yarns are laid in the dotted line area 2 of the blank shownin FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the mannerin which the yarns are laid in the dotted line area 3 of the blank shownin FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is .an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view showing themanner in which the yarns are laid in the dotted line area 4 of theblank shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary somewhat diagrammatic elevational view of yarncarrier rods, stops and latches therefor, and controls for certain ofthe stops, of a fullfashioned knitting machine embodying this invention.

FIGURE 6 is a view of the left-hand side of the carrier rod arrestingdevice shown at the left-hand side of FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the carrier rod arresting device shown inFIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 88 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a sequential diagram illustrating the movements of carrierrods for laying yarn course in the manners shown in FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown in FIG- URE l afull-fashioned stocking blank having a double or folded welt 10, ashadow welt 12, a body 14, and a foot 16, the latter having the usualinstep portion 18 and reinforced side areas to form heel portions 20,sole portions 22, and a toe 24. In the preferred form of this invention,all of the yarns employed in knitting the blank are introduced into theknitting field of a full-fashioned knitting machine, and consequentlyinto the fabric of the blank, at the beginning of a knitting operationand remain in the knitting field, and in the fabric of the blank, untilthe end of the operation of knitting the blank. In some instances,however, a minimum number of yarns may be introduced or removed from theknitting field after the beginning of the knitting operation and beforethe blank is completed, in order to knit certain different styles, aswill be explained hereinafter.

For purposes of illustration, the preferred form of blank shown inFIGURE 1 is knitted from three yarns 26, 28 and 3! 'The yarn 26 isrelatively heavy and is used to knit the entire welt It? and 12, asshown in FIG- URE 4. It also serves as a right splicing yarn forinterknitting with the body yarn 28, later described, to form thereinforced areas in the heel 20 and sole portions 22 .on the right-handside of the blank, as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3. The same yarn 26 isalso interknit with the other two yarns 28 and 30 in the toe 24 forreinforcing purposes, as shown in FIGURE 2. The second yarn 28, usuallylighter than the welt yarn 26, is used to knit .the body 14 and theinstep portion 18 of the blank, as

shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. The third yarn 30 serves as a left splicingyarn for interknitting with the body yarn 28 to form the reinforced heeland sole areas 20 and 22 on the left-hand side of the blank, and alsofor interknitting with the welt and body yarns 26 and 28 in the toe 24,as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. In this connection, the term yarn, as usedherein, alsoembraces multiple-yarn single-carrier usage, wherein two ormore yarns may be knit as one by threading them through a singlecarrier.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, both the welt and body yarns 26 and 28 areintroduced into the right-hand side of the blank at the beginning of theentire welt, while the left splicing yarn 30 is introduced into theleft-hand side of the blank at the beginning of the entire welt. Sincethe blank shown for illustrative purposes has a double welt 1t? and .ashadow welt 12, tails 32, 34 and 36 of the respective yarns 26, 28 and30 project from the selvedges 38 and 40 of the blank at the junctionbetween the welt portions and 12. It also is possible, as hereinafterexplained, to introduce the left splicing yarn 30 into the blank fromthe right-hand side. In that case, the tail 36 would project from thesame point as the tails 32 and 34. The welt yarn 26 is employed to knitthe welt throughout all of its courses and all of its wales, i.e., itsentire width, while during the knitting of the welt the body yarn 28 andthe left splicing yarn 34 are knit throughout all of the welt coursesfor a width of a few wales only, e.g., two wales, respectively, alongthe right .and left-hand sides of the blank, as shown best in FIG- URE4. If the left splicing yarn 3!} is introduced into the blank from theright-hand side, it is knit for one course only in all of the wales ofthe welt, and then knit through about two wales only along the left-handside of the blank in the remaining courses of the welt. When the end ofthe shadow welt 12 is reached, i.e., when the entire welt is completelyknitted, knitting of the body yarn 28, which is knitted in all of thebody wales, continues while .at this point the welt or right splicingyarn 26 commences to be knitted for a width of a few wales only alongthe right-hand edge of the blank. At the same time, the knitting of theleft splicing yarn 30 continues along the left-hand side of the body 14for a width of a few wales only, all as best shown in FIGURE 4.

At the beginning of the foot 16, the right and left splicing yarns 26and 30 are interknitted with the body yarn 28 in a conventional mannerin the right and left-hand reinforced areas to form the heel and soleportions 20 and 22. At this time, the body yarn 28 continues to be laidin courses that extend completely across the width of the foot 16 so asto form the instep portion '18 between the right and left-handreinforced areas 20 and 22 of the foot, as shown in FIGURE 3.Substantially at the end of knitting the reinforced areas for the sole22, and at the beginning of knitting of the toe 24, all three of theyarns 26, 28 and 30 are interknit in courses that extend completelyacross the width of the blank to form the re inforced toe portion of theblank, as shown in FIGURE 2. Alternatively, one or the other splicingyarns 26 or 30 may be curtailed in knitting width (not shown) i.e., knitin only some of the wales of the toe portion, to form various styles orappearances for the reinforced area of the toe portion.

Because of the aforementioned method of knitting, it will be seen thatthe ends of the yarns 26, 28 and 30 need to be severed by an operatoronly at the beginning and end of the stocking blank. It also will beseen that such yarn ends will occur and leave tails 32, 34 and 36 onlyat the juncture of the folded welt 10 with the shadow welt 12, on boththe right and left-hand sides of the blank, and tails 42, 44 and 46 onlyat the toe. Thus, the labor involved in severing yarn ends, and removingyarn tails, is greatly reduced. In the event that the left splicing yarn30 is introduced into the blank from the right side, as described above,tails will be left only on the righthand side of the blank at thejunction of the folded welt 10 and shadow welt -12, thus furtherreducing the work of severing ends.

In some instances it may be desired to use splicing yarns of diiferentdenier than the melt yarn. In that event the principle of this inventioncan be carried even further by introducing separate welt and rightsplicing yarns (not shown) at the beginning of the welt. The rightsplicing yarn and the body yarn would then be floated in a few walesonly along the right-hand side of the blank and in all the courses ofthe welt as the latter is being knitted with the welt yarn. Both rightsplicing and welt yarns are then floated in a few wales only along theright side of the blank during the knitting of the body with the bodyyarn, and then, during the knitting of the foot portion only the weltyarn is floated in a few wales only along the right-hand side of theblank while the right splicing yarn is knitted into the reinforced areasof the foot portion, as previously described. Of course, the leftsplicing yarn would be knitted throughout the entire blank as describedbefore, i.e., for the most part floated for a few wales only along theleft-hand side of the blank until the reinforced areas of the footportion are reached and then knitted into such areas.

As an alternative to the foregoing knitting procedure for welt andsplicing yarns of different denier, the right splicing yarn could beintroduced into the blank at the right-hand side only when the body isreached, and at the same time the welt yarn could be removed from theblank at the right-hand side. The right splicing yarn would then befloated in a few wales only along the righthand side of the blank untilthe reinforced areas of the foot portion are reached. Of course, thisprocedure would result in yarn tails (not shown) at the junction of theshadow welt and the body at the right-hand side of the blank, but theprocedure could be used in instances where a knitting machine had notbeen modified, as described hereinafter, sufiiciently to knit welt andsplicing yarns of different deniers in full accordance with thisinvention.

It will be seen that by floating the body yarn 28 through a width ofonly a few wales along the right-hand side of the blank and the leftsplicing yarn 30 through a width of only a few wales along the left-handedge of the blank during the knitting of the welt 10 and shadow welt 12,and also by floating the welt yarn 26 and left splicing yarn 30 througha width of only a few wales along the right and left-hand edges of theblank, respectively, during the knitting of the body 14, reinforcedselvedges 38 and 40 are formed. The alternative methods described abovefor knitting welt and splicing yarns of difierent deniers likewise formreinforced selvedges. These re inforced selvedges greatly facilitate theseaming operation because their greater bulk acts as a natural stopagainst the top of the guide of the uncurler of a seaming machine toimpede the dropping or pulling of the blank out of the uncurler as theupward inclination of the blank being fed into the uncurler is increasedby an operator so as to form a fine seam in the machine. Because theoperation of forming a fine seam is thus facilitated, seaming operatorproduction is increased. It also will be seen that the reinforcedselvedges 38 and 40 increase the strength of the seam of the finishedstocking (not shown), even though the same may include only a minimumnumber of wales.

It also will be noted that the aforedescribed method of knitting a blankrequires the introduction of yarns into the knitting field only at thebeginning of the knitting operation, save. in the one exceptional casementioned above wherein splicing and welt yarns of different denier areintroduced and removed from the blank at the'junction of the shadow weltwith the body. Consequently, the improved method eliminates, with butone exception, the time-consuming and laborious operation of introducingor removing yarn carriers from the knitting field intermediate thebeginning and end of the knitting operation. Since a knitting machineusually must be stopped during such introduction or removal of yarncarriers, the time required to knit a stocking in accordance with thisinvention is decreased.

Referring now to FIGURE 5 in the drawings, there is shown apparatus forpracticing the foregoing method. Illustrated in that figure are somewhatconventional parts of a full-fashioned knitting machine including aplurality .of yarn-carrier rods 42, usually 8 or 9 in number, only 8being shown and so sequentially numbered, 1 to 8, end stops 44 for suchrods carried on the usual narrowing heads (not shown) at the oppositeends of the machine, and yarn carriers 46 carried by each rod for layingyarn along a bank of needles 47. A full-fashioned knitting machineusually includes a plurality of knitting sec tions, but only one sectionis illustrated in FIGURE 5 are automatically released before the carrierrods 42 are moved in the opposite direction by their conventionalfriction box drive (not shown).

, Each carrier rod arresting device 48 and 50, as is best :shown by theenlarged views of the device 48 in FIG- URES 6, 7 and 8, includes ahousing or carriage54 slidable on longitudinal guide rails 56 on thenarrowing head and securedto a narrowing nut 58 on a narrowing spindle60 so as to move with the end stops 44 in the well-known manner. Thehousing 54 has an opening through which extend the yarn carrier rods 42,which usually are eight in number, as previously mentioned. For purposesof illustration here, however, only three 'of such rods are used, No. 1for laying the body yarn 28, No. 5 for laying the left splicing yarn 30,and No. 6 for laying the welt yarn 26, which, in the example describedhereinafter, also is employed as the right splicing yarn. The remainingyarn carrier rods 42, in the illustrated exemplary apparatus embodimentof the invention, may be laid out of the knitting field, in a wellknownmanner. a

' Slidable in upright guide openings 64 in the housing 54 are latchbolts 66, one for each rod 42 and each having an end portion projectingdownwardly into the opening 62 and provided with an abutment surface 68engageable with a corresponding upright end surface 70 of an adjustablekeeper element or dog 72 of a dog assembly 52 which includes a cammember 74 rigidly secured, as by rivets 76, to the rod 42. As best shownin FIG- URE 8, the keeper element 72 is secured for adjustmentlongitudinally along its rod 42 by means of a stud 78 secured to theelement and freely slidable in a bore 80 in the cammember 74. A nut 82,engaged with the stud 78, is confined between the side surfaces of aslot 84 in the member 74 which intersects the bore 80. Obviously,rotation of the nut 82 adjusts the element 72 longitudinally along itsrod 42. Preferably, a lock nut 86 is mounted on the stud 78 for bearingengagement against an end of the member 74.

Each latch bolt 66 has a lateral arm 88 at its upper end engageable withan upper surface 90 (FIGURE 8) on the housing 54 to limit downwardmovement of the bolt. A coil tension spring 92 is connected between theouter end of each arm 88 and a lateral pin 94 on the housing 54 toconstantly urge the bolt 66 downwardly into latching position. Each canrmember 74 has an inclined camming surface 96 engageable with a roundednose portion 98 on the end of the corresponding latch bolt 66.Consequently, when a carrier rod 42 is moved, by its friction box drive(not shown), toward an end stop 44, the inclined surface 96 on the cammember 74 at the corresponding end of the rod engages with the roundednose 98 of the corresponding latch bolt 66 and cams the latter upwardlyso that the dog assembly 52 can slide therebeneath until the rod engageswith its end stop 44. At this time, the keeper element 72 is sopositioned that the surfaces 70 and 68 on such element and on the latchbolt, respectively, will automatically engage and prevent rebound of therod 42. Fitting within a groove 100 in the top of the housing 54extending transverse to the rods 42 is an arm 102 of a releasing lever104 positioned to engage beneath the underside of the lateral arms '88of all the latch bolts 66. The lever 184 is mounted for substantiallyupright swinging movement on a horizontal pivot pin 106. The free end ofthe other arm 107 of the lever 104 is operated periodically in timedrelation with the knitting operation by the cam mechanism (not shown) ofthe machine to swing the lever counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 6,to thereby lift all of the latch bolts 66 sufiiciently to release thecarrier rods 42 for movement, by their friction drives, toward the otherend of the machine, i.e., to the right, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 8.

The construction and operation of the carrier rod rebound arrestingdevice 48 at the left-hand side of the machine, as viewed in FIGURE 5,is identical to that of the device '50 at the right-hand side of themachine, so that no detailed description of the right-hand device isdeemed necessary. The construction of each device, as heretoforedescribed, is generally conventional.

For purposes of the exemplary apparatus embodiment of this invention,each carrier rod rebound arresting device 48 and 50 is somewhatmodified, however, to include a releasable stop or block 108 engageablewith another end surface 110 on the keeper element 72 on a selected rod42 to limit movement of the latter, away from its end stop 44 at thecorresponding end of the machine, to a distance substantially equal toonly a few, such as two, needles or wales, Thus, the carrier rod reboundarresting device 48 at the left-hand side of the machine, as viewed inFIGURE 5, is provided with an enlargement 112 of its upright guideopening 64 for the latch bolt 66 for No. 5 rod, as best shown in FIGURES7 and 8. Positioned and guided within such enlarged portion 112 of theopening 64, to the right of the bolt 66, is a vertically reciprocablestop or block 108 having a lower end movable downwardly into the opening62 and having an abutmerit surface 114 engageable with the end surface110 on the keeper element 72 on rod No. 5, as shown best in FIGURE 8.When such rod is in engagement with its left-hand end stop 44, thedistance between the end surface 110 on the keeper element 72 and theopposed abutment surface 114 on the end of the stop 108 is equal tosubstantially only a few wales. Consequently, when the latch bolt 66 forNo. 'rod 42 is released and the rod moved to the right, by its frictionbox drive, the rod will move only a few wales before it is arrested byengagement between the element 72 and the stop 188, when the latter isin its lower operative position shown in FIGURES 5 and 8;

The upper end of the stop 108 is provided with a lateral arm 116engageable with an upper surface 118 of the housing to limit downwardmovement of the stop into a position wherein its lower end will notengage with the rod No. 5 but wherein engagement between the element 72and the abutment surface 114 can occur. A coil tension spring 120 isconnected between the outer end of the arm 116 and a pin 121 on the sideof the housing 54 to normally urge the stop 108 into its lower operativeposition shown in FIGURES 5 and 8. Movement of the stop 108 into anupper inoperative position preferably is eifected by an electromagnet orsolenoid 122 mounted on the housing 54 of the device 48 and having itsarmature 124 connected to the arm 116. Thus, it will be seen that whenthe solenoid 122 is energized, the stop 108 is moved up to itsinoperative position, and when the solenoid is de-energized the spring120 moves the stop down into its operative position.

In lieu of the automatic operation of the stops 108 as later described,the solenoid 122 and spring 120 may be eliminated and the stop providedwith a detent arrangement for manual operation. Such arrangement mayinclude spaced recesses 126 in the side surface of the stop 108 for thealternative reception of the rounded nose of a detent pin 128 urgedinwardly into engagement with the side of the stop by a leaf spring '130secured beneath a shoulder on the pin 121, as shown in FIGURE 8.

The carrier rod rebound arresting device 50 at the righthand side of themachine also is modified to include a similar solenoid-operated stopconstruction. In this righthand device 50, stops 108A and 108B (FIGURE9) are provided for engagement with the keeper elements 72 of the dogassemblies 52 on the No. l and No. 6 carrier rods, respectively. Suchstops 108A and 108B are arranged so that when they are moved down intotheir operative positions, movement of the No. 1 and No. '6 rods 42 tothe left, away from their right-hand end stops 44, is limited to adistance of only a few wales, as shown by the position of No. 1 carrierrod in FIGURES 5 and 9A.

Preferably, the solenoid 122, which operates the intermediate stop 108for No. 5 carrier rod is automatically operated in timed sequence withthe knitting operation by a pattern chain 132 of the knitting machinewhich carries adjustable buttons 134 adapted to carnrningly engage a camfollower 136 on a lever 138 and swing it clockwise in a known manner, asshown in the left-hand side of FIG- URE 5. Connected to the outer end ofthe lever 138 is a reciprocating switch-operating member 140 adapted tooperate a switch (not shown) within a housing 142 fixed to the knittingmachine. The arrangement is such that when a button 134 on the chain 132engages the cam follower 136 on the lever 138 and swings the samemomentarily outwardly, the switch within the housing 142 is operated,i.e., either opened or closed, and remains in either its open or closedcondition until the switch is again operated by a subsequent button onthe chain. The switch is included in a series electric circuit whichincludes a source of electric power, e.g., the conductors 144 an thesolenoid 122. a

A similar arrangement is had at the right-hand side of the machinewherein another. pattern chain 146 is pro vided with buttons 148engageable with cam followers on two spaced swinging levers 150 and 152,each connected to operate a separate switch (not shown) Within a housing154 fixed to the machine. One of the switches within the housing 154 isconnected to operate the solenoid 122A which operates the stop 108A forthe No. 1 carrier rod 42, while the other switch within the housing 154is connected to operate the solenoid (not shown) which operates the stop108B (FIGURES 9C and 9D) for the No. 6 carrier rod.

In a knitting operation involving this invention, the buttons 134 and148 on the pattern chains 132 and 146 are so arranged that at thebeginning of a knitting operation, the solenoids for the stops 108A and108 for the No. 1 and No. 5 carrier rods, respectively, are deenergizedso that the stops are moved, by their springs 120, down into theiroperative positions, and the solenoid which operates the stop 108B forthe No. 6 carrier rod is energized, so that such stop is moved up intoits inoperative position, as shown in FIGURES 5, 9A and 9B.

Consequently, as knitting progresses the yarns 26, 28 and 30 are laid inthe manner shown in the lower portion of FIGURE 4. The No. 6 carrier rod42 is free to traverse throughout the entire width of the blank beingknitted without being restrained by its stop 108B, as shown in FIGURES9A and 9B, so that it lays the welt yarn 26 in courses extending theentire width of the blank. The No. l and No. 5 rods 42 are restrainedagainst movement for more than a few wales by their stops 108A and 108,as shown in FIGURES 5, 9A and 9B, so that they will lay the body yarn-28 and left splicing yarn 30 only through a distance of a few wales atthe right and left-hand sides, respectively, of the blank being knitted,as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

When the welt has been knitted, i.e., when the end of the shadow welt 12is reached, appropriate buttons 148 on the pattern chain 146 swing thelevers 150 and 152 to operate the switches within the housing 154 toenergize the solenoid 122A which operates the stop 108A of the No. 1carrier rod to thus render such stop in- .operative, and to de-energizethe solenoid (not shown) which operates the stop 1083 for the No. 6carrier rod 42 to thus render such stop operative, as shown in FIG- URES9C and 9D. Consequently, the No. 1 carrier rod 42 commences to lay thebody yarn 28 across the entire width of the blank being knitted, whilethe No. 6 carrier rod 42 will lay the welt yarn 26 in only a few walesadjacent the right-hand side of the blank, as shown in the upper portionof FIGURE 4.

Knitting continues in this fashion until the foot portion 16 is reached.At this time, appropriate buttons 134 and 148 on the chains 132 and 146are arranged to swing the levers to operate the switches to energize thesolenoids for the stops 108 and 108B for No. 5 and-No. 6 rods,respectively, to thus render such stops inoperative. Consequently, allthree carrier rods Nos. 1, 5 and 6 are free to move without restraint bytheir respective stops 108A, 108 and 108B. Whereupon, the No. 5 and 'No.6 carrier rods commence to lay the left and right splicing yarns 30 and26, respectively, in the right and left reinforced areas 20 and 22respectively, of the-foot portion 16 in a conventional manner, i.e., theinward movement of these carrier rods is limited by conventionalsplicing blocks (not shown) positioned adjacent the center portion ofthe machine. The solenoids are maintained energized throughout theremainder of the operation of knitting the blank so that the footportion 16, including the instep 18, right and left-hand reinforcedareas 20 and 22, respectively and the toe 24 are knit in -a generallyconventional manner.

As aforedescribed, in lieu of the above automatic .operation of thecarrier rod stops 108, 108A and 108B by the pattern mechanism of themachine, the stops may be operated manually.

It will be realized that in the event the principles of the inventionare extended to include apparatus for knitting welt and splicing yarnsof different deniers, another carrier rod must be used in the knittingoperation. Consequently, the righthand device 50 would have to befurther modified to include a third stop or block 108 -for suchadditional rod, together with the necessary parts for automaticoperation of such stop. Furthermore, it will be realized that even morethan four carrier rods, with appropriate modification of the rod reboundarresting devices, can be used to practice the invention in the eventthat it is desired to knit a blank with more than four yarns. It also iswithin the contemplation of this invention to provide automatic stopsfor practicing the methods that are not necessarily associated with thecarrier rod rebound arresting devices.

It further will be realized that certain of the yarn floating procedurescan be reversed as respects the sides of the stocking blank. Thus, forexample, in knitting the welt, the body yarn could be floated in a 'fewwales only along the lefthand side of the blank. Also, all the yarnscould be introduced into the blank from the left-hand side instead ofthe right. Furthermore, the welt can be knitted with two yarns whilefloating the third along one side, or with three yarns with no floatingbeing necessary until the body of the stocking blank is reached.

It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fullyand effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that theforegoing specific embodiment has been shown and described only for thepurpose of illustrating the principles of this invention and is subjectto extensive change without departure from such principles. Therefore,this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spiritand scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A full-fashioned knitting machine comprising: yarn carrier rods; anarrowing carriage at each end of the machine; end stops for said rodscarried by said carriages; a dog on at least one of said rods and aselectively operable intermediate stop carried by at least one of saidcarriages and engageable by said dog for limiting the stroke of said onerod to a distance corresponding to only a few needles.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 including pattern mechanismindependent of the rods and connected to said intermediate stop foroperating it at predetermined times.

3. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, having yarn carrier rods, anarrowing carriage at each end of the machine, and end stops for saidrods carried by said carriages, the combination comprising: dogs oncertain of said rods; and selectively operable intermediate stops forsaid certain rods carried by said carriages and engageable by said dogsfor limiting the stroke of the corresponding rods to a distancecorresponding to only a few needles.

4. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having yarn 5 carrier rods, anarrowing carriage at each end of the machine, end stops for said rodscarried by said carriages, a

rod rebound arresting device carried by each of said carriages andincluding releasable latch bolts for said rods, and keeper dogs on saidrods automatically engageable by said bolts to arrest rebound of eachrod when it hits its corresponding end stop, the combination comprising:selectively operable intermediate stops for certain of said rods carriedby said devices and engageable by the corresponding dogs on release ofthe corresponding latch bolts for limiting the stroke of thecorersponding rod to a distance corresponding to only a few needles.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in which each of the correspondingdogs includes two abutment surfaces, one engageable with thecorresponding latch bolt, and the other with the correspondingintermediate stop.

6. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the machine has a patternmechanism and including means connecting said mechanism to each of theintermediate stops for operating the latter at predetermined times.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 in which the means includes anelectrical circuit comprising a stop-operating electromagnet and aswitch operated by the pattern mechanism.

8. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having yarn carrier rods, anarrowing carriage at each end of the machine, and end stops for saidrods carried by said carriage, the combination comprising: a dog on afirst one of said rods adjacent one of said narrowing carriages; a dogon a second one of said rods adjacent the other narrowing carriage; aselectively operable intermediate stop carried by said one carriage andengageable by the dog on said first rod for limiting the stroke of thelatter toward said other carriage to a distance corresponding to only afew needles; and a selectively operable intermediate stop carried bysaid other carriage and engageable by the dog on said second rod forlimiting the stroke of the latter toward said one carriage to a distancecorresponding to only a few needles.

9. The structure defined in claim 8 in which the machine has patternmechanism independent of the rods and including means connecting saidmechanism to the intermediate stops for operating the latter atpredetermined times.

10. The structure defined in claim 8 including a dog on a third one ofthe rods adjacent the one carriage and a selectively operableintermediate stop carried by said one carriage and engageable by the dogon said third rod for limiting the stroke of the latter toward the othercarriage to a distance corresponding to only a few needles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,049,887 Anke Aug. 4, 1936 2,195,978 Thierfelder Apr. 2, 1940 2,583,453Weisbecker Jan. 22, 1952

